On September 1, 2024, Indonesia made new history by winning the FIFAe World Cup 2024 Football Manager. This achievement was achieved by the team represented by Ichsan Rahmat Taufiq as manager and Budi Muhamad Manar Hidayat as assistant manager. This victory is not only a source of pride for Indonesia, but also marks an important achievement in the global esports world.
Journey to the Final
The FIFAe World Cup 2024 Football Manager tournament was held in Liverpool, England, and was attended by 19 countries. The competition consists of two main stages: the group stage and the knockout stage. In the group stage, each manager manages the same club and focuses on long-term strategy, league position, and progress in the tournament. The Indonesian team was placed in Group C with Poland, France, England, and India.
Ichsan and Budi successfully brought Sporting Lisbon, the club they coached in the group phase, to become group champions with a total of 364 points. These points were obtained from results in the league, tournaments, trophies, and management assessments. They were ahead of other countries in their group, including Poland (343 points) and France (331 points).
Challenges in the Knockout Phase
After making it through the group stage, the Indonesian team advanced to the knockout phase. In this stage, managers compete in the Fantasy Draft Football Manager mode, where they must select up to 25 new players with a fixed budget. Ichsan, known by the nickname “Miracle,” showed his tactical skills superbly, leading his team to the final against Germany.
Tense Final, Indonesia vs. Germany
The final against Germany was held over two legs. In the first leg, Indonesia won 3-0. In the second leg, Indonesia again showed its dominance with a score of 5-2, so that the final aggregate was 8-2. This victory not only gave Indonesia the title, but also a significant cash prize from the total prize pool of USD 100,000.
Key to Victory
The key to Indonesia's success in this tournament was the strategy and tactics implemented by Ichsan and Budi. They used a 4-2-3-1 formation with Koen Casteels as goalkeeper, Alex Grimaldo, Presnel Kimpembe, Niklas Süle, and Jonathan Clauss as the four defenders in front of him. In midfield, they played Nicolas Seiwald, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Lorenzo Insigne, Xavi Simons, and Matteo Politano. Niclas Füllkrug became the spearhead of the attack.
According to Budi, the key to their victory was an attacking strategy and special instructions to deal with dangerous opposing players. "We play attacking, the most important thing is the opposite instruction. So every dangerous player we guard and tackle," said Budi.
Impact and Reaction
The victory was greeted with great enthusiasm in Indonesia. Many football figures and gaming communities gave their congratulations and appreciation. Miles Jacobson, director of Football Manager, expressed his pride in seeing the development of this game and its impact on the real world of football and the gaming community.
The Future of Esports in Indonesia
This achievement is expected to be a driving force for the development of esports in Indonesia. With the increasing number of international tournaments and competitions, Indonesia has great potential to continue to excel in the global arena. This victory also shows that with the right strategy and hard work, Indonesia can compete and excel at the world level.
Conclusion
With a historic victory at the FIFAe World Cup 2024 Football Manager, Indonesia has proven its ability to compete on the global esports stage. This achievement not only brings glory to the nation but also becomes an important milestone for the development of esports in the country. This victory is expected to inspire the younger generation to continue to innovate and achieve, as well as pave the way for more opportunities and recognition in the international world. With the right strategy and dedication, Indonesia is ready to continue to make brilliant achievements in the future.
Hopefully this article can provide inspiration and useful information for all of us. Thank you for reading, and see you next time.
